Page 177 of Of Blood and Banes
“Our council iscorrupt,” the man warns as he grips the hilt of a shortsword at his side. His gaze bounces from person to person until it settles on me.
Sethan slides in front of me, blocking his view. “We need to know where Elder Honora is. Tell us, and we will simply be on our way.”
“She…she’s dead.”
Sethan draws his sword from his side and lunges forward, racing the man back to the wall and pressing a blade to his throat. “Tell me the truth!”
The man’s voice is a panicked, shrill mess. “I…uhh…she’s…”
“Now!” Sethan thunders.
“Sh-she snuck off to Bayrock! They knew you’d come for her?—”
“Who isthey?” Melaina interjects.
As if on cue, a knock sounds at the door, and we all slide our attention to it. Sethan takes a step back from the man and motions him to answer it, following him to the door with his blade still pointed inches from the man’s neck. Melaina and I, along with Cole leading Darian by the chains, all slink over to the farthest wall out of sight of the door if it were to open.
The man grabs the stool, slides it under the peephole, and peers out. “Can I help you?”
“Yes. We need to come inside,” someone answers.
Melaina shifts to grab her sword, ready to unsheathe it, and I do the same as I exchange a look with Cole. He transfers Darian’s chains into his non-dominant hand, then readies himself for a quick draw.
Sethan presses the tip of his blade into the man’s back, and he winces. Whoever is on the other side beats against the door, and the man slides the cover over the peephole and jumps off the stool, despite Sethan’s hissing.
One more thud, and the door springs open, sending the stool flying into a table.
Sethan backs up, putting himself between the group of men on the other side and us as he widens his stance.
“Daeja…we might be in trouble.”
“A’nala’s already on it. The other part of the group has been attacked in the streets, and we’re closing in for backup.”
“Shit. We’ve been ambushed. I don’t know if these are Close Circle members who have crossed the border or Vitalan rebels. Arterians won’t kill you…but Vitalan rebels will. If they are, stay back!”
“Pfft, I’m not staying back! Either way, beat those bastards, and I’ll meet you in the outskirts of town.”
“Be careful!”
“Don’t go getting sentimental on me.”
Melaina, Cole, and I all withdraw our swords in a harmonious chorus of metal as a group of men spill through the doorway, beheading the short, screaming man.
Bastards, indeed.
Cole looks at me and tosses me Darian’s chains. I catch them with my breath stuttering as Cole dashes to stand side-by-side with Sethan and take on three men. More of them bleed into the room, and Cole and Sethan explode into a frenzy of blocks and side steps. Even as Melaina joins the fray, one thing is for certain.
We’re easily outmatched here.
Darian meets my gaze, his face deadly serious. “Remember what I told you? Anything is a weapon if you’re creative enough.”
I swivel to the candle burning in the corner and nod. Praying I can trust him, I drop the chains and race across the room. Ripping my gloves off and tucking them into my side, I raise myhands to the candle and pull it toward me like I’m tearing a sheet off a bed.
The flame sputters off the wick and gathers into a ball as a hum of energy flows around me, through me. I funnel the distant ley line magic into it. Within seconds, I pull it inches from my chest, now a ball the width of my shoulders. My fingers tremble as I fight to contain it, then I turn back to the group.
“Duck!” I scream and throw the flame toward the fight.
Melaina and Cole drop immediately, and Melaina rips her father down just in time for it to barrel over him and blast into the wall of soldiers, knocking them onto their backs and exploding into screams of men on fire.
